


promise you'll catch me before i fall

by Geny614



Series: a promise kept under the stars [2]
Category: Stray Kids (Band)
Genre: Bang Chan is Whipped, Canon Compliant, Comfort, Fluff, Hwang Hyunjin is Whipped, Hwang Hyunjin-centric, M/M, Maybe - Freeform, Slow Burn, Unrequited Crush, nonAU, taking care of chan the series, who knows - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-14
Updated: 2020-08-14
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:46:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25890811
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Geny614/pseuds/Geny614
Summary: hyunjin doesn't know what he's going to do with chan. late night cuddles may not be enough.
Relationships: Bang Chan/Hwang Hyunjin
Series: a promise kept under the stars [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1864093
Comments: 5
Kudos: 113





	promise you'll catch me before i fall

**Author's Note:**

> this part two of series--you don't have to read the first part but like knock your socks off why not? just more chanjin fluff for everyone.

It’s the morning and Hyunjin wakes to an empty bed. Again.

Hyunjin doesn’t let himself think about his nights with Chan. It’s because whenever he does wakes up to an empty bed disappointment settles into him like an old friend. Nor, is it because his body feels every missing slot his hyung’s body was once pressed too. It’s because if he dwells on them, he’ll drop into a spiral of distracting thoughts.

Thoughts like how Chan’s steady heartbeat has become his favorite lullaby. A gentle sound comes to him like a song he can’t forgot but has no name. Even when he snores it slowly becomes white noise that helps Hyunjin settle his mind into sleep. Or the way Chan smells when he’s fresh out of the shower and in Hyunjin’s bed. The mix of fresh mint and worn sheets—it just does something to Hyunjin. It just always makes it a little harder for Hyunjin to leave his bed—especially when Chan had left before him. The scent lingers long after the sheets have gone cold next to him.

He doesn’t dare think about the way Chan’s neck smells when he presses his face between his shoulder and neck. Where his body wash is faint but a musk that is all Chan lingers there and Hyunjin can never get enough. Especially on hot nights when they’re both sweating and agreed not to cuddle but Hyunjin’s face still somehow ends up pressed right to the spot and he inhales deeply and it goes right down—

Hyunjin blinks—he’s done it again. It’s so easy to slip into these thoughts and sink into them. As if they’re physical and soft but they’re just thoughts. Just thoughts. He sighs and pats at his cheek. “come to your senses”, he mutters and glances at the mirror above the sink. Its only 8AM and he’s supposed to go to company later but he’s already a mess. He doesn’t bother with his bed hair and he ignores the obvious dark circles under his eyes. A product of not being able to fall asleep until 5:00 am because his brain wouldn’t sleepy shut off—even when his body begged it to—it wasn’t because Chan hadn’t came home last night. Of course not.

Hyunjin moves from the bathroom to the kitchen—there’s a surprise there for him.

Chan.

It’s not a surprise because he hasn’t seen his hyung since yesterday morning but because Chan is standing in front of the open fridge and not moving. From this angle Hyunjin can see that Chan’s head is tip downward and his eyes aren’t open.

He’s asleep. Standing. In front of the open fridge.

“Hyung,” Hyunjin calls to him softly and Chan just leans forward further into the fridge—his grip on the fridge’s handle loosens as if he’s about to drop—Hyunjin’s breath hitches and he hurries forwards and takes his hyung by the arm pulling back against him while he closes the fridge. Chan falls against his chest and slumps into him easily enough.

Hyunjin sighs and he holds Chan to himself. Chan stirs just the slightest bit and he mumbles;

“Cold,” and turns his face inward—right against Hyunjin’s neck. There’s a pause takes place on Hyunjin’s heart—his breath once quick is now held as he feels Chan’s face pressed to his skin—Chan’s breaths fanning away at his skin with every beat that follows. A snore comes from his hyung. Hyunjin rolls his eyes and grumbles “Of course you’re cold. Idiot.” But he steers Chan away from the fridge and towards his room with the best bed waiting for his hyung.

Hyunjin tugs Chan over to his bed. He does it out of habit. Sure, he could’ve taken Chan to his own bed but—well he’s already here.

_Chan likes it here better anyway._

Hyunjin moves carefully as he takes Chan’s bag off his shoulder along with a jacket he hadn’t remembered to take off when he first got back home. It’s a large oversized jacket which he tosses to the bed. Its far too hot for a jacket but the company building tends to be cold.

“Hyung was hungry huh?” Hyunjin asks and all he gets in return are some sleepy mumbles. The thought of helping Chan change into some clean sleepwear comes to Hyunjin—but would that be too much? He looks at Chan who can barely keep himself up without the support of Hyunjin’s arm around him.

_He’s lucky he’s made it this far and not into a face full of leftovers._

Hyunjin pulls Chan towards the bed and gently pushes him on it. He watches his hyung just sort of drop onto the mattress. It’s strange to watch at it from this angle and not from the other side of the bed. It’s strange—because of how fragile his hyung seems in that moment. A feather like touch is all it takes and he’s down. It’s scary to think what would’ve happened if he hadn’t gone to the kitchen sooner.

_Would you have gotten hurt? Would anyone notice before I got there? Would you notice yourself?_

Once Chan registers, he’s in a bed his body curls up until its so small and his face is smushed to a pillow. Something squeezes within Hyunjin’s chest. The grip is so tight, and his breath is strangled with every clench. It doesn’t hurt the same way it does when the brief thought of Chan injuring himself due to his own lack of rest. It’s a bittersweet kind of pain—sweet in the way Chan’s soft round cheek cushions against the pillow and his lips part in a pouty frown. Bitter in the way Hyunjin tells himself to look away before his heart makes juice out of itself—bitter in the way Hyunjin won’t let himself linger.

He tucks his hyung in after he drapes a blanket over his body.

The sound of Chan’s steady even breath is the only sign Hyunjin needs to leave the room and return to the kitchen. There he begins to cook. He’s surely no 5-star Michelin nor is he Minho hyung who is the most competent member in the kitchen (sorry, Felix)—but at least he can manage cracking an egg without leaving shells in the food. (yeah, he’s talking about Changbin).

He pulls together a simple meal. Hyunjin takes out the left-over rice from last night’s dinner, tosses it onto a frying pan with a dash of oil and soy sauce. Once it’s brown and holds the faint crispiness he adds an egg along with some left-over meat. Altogether it doesn’t look terrible—he’d have it for meal before he goes but—he pours it all into a bowl and covers it with a lid. On top of the lid he takes a random receipt left on the table and writes “Please eat and rest well Chan hyung” paired with a small heart. He leaves the bowl counter for his hyung to hopefully find after he’s wakes up.

Hyunjin checks the time and he’s got about an hour before his lesson. He takes a quick shower and dresses fast. Before he goes, he checks on his hyung who is still fast asleep. The only update is that Chan is now shirtless.

_Why are you like this?_

_Its like the world is testing me today._

_Fuck that._

He hangs back for a moment and watches Chan sleep. Comfort blankets over him as he watches his hyung rest. Though he wishes Chan wouldn’t work himself ragged to the point that he falls asleep standing up.

Hyunjin clicks his tongue at his hyung’s carelessness.

“What would you do without me?” he mutters and finds himself brushing back Chan’s hair. The way his fingers graze Chan’s skin ever so lightly reminds him of their shared nights again.

The light touches that linger and kindle a hearth between them.

_What would you do without me?_ Hyunjin lets the question float in his head but another one weighs over it— _What would I do without Chan hyung?_

A text from manager interrupts those thoughts and he moves to leave—but he glances back at Chan with a sigh. His heart feels lighter knowing Chan is asleep right now but he still feels this tug in his heart that pulls him towards Chan. It tells him to stay put by his side—but he knows he can’t—he shouldn’t. Chan doesn’t need a guard dog. He just needs someone watch over him quietly when he forgets to do it himself.

He looks at his phone and types a message.

-There’s good for you on the counter.

-Don’t let the others eat it first or else you’ll end up in the fridge!

Hyunjin rolls his eyes and walks of the dorm wearing Chan’s jacket.

Later that night Hyunjin arrives home after a long impromptu dance practice with the rest of the dance-line. That then led to a very chaotic v-live (but that’s to be expected). Hyunjin staggers in with only three desires; shower, food, bed.

It’s interesting how a day could break you down to your basic needs.

Hyunjin’s moves around the dorm grumbling his way around—well its mostly whining. Though he’s lucky he got in the shower first. Though its summertime and the heat is oppressive outside—steaming hot water really knows how to make all his tense muscles turn to butter.

Now, that he was a moment to think beyond singing lessons, English lessons, dance practice and vlive comments his mind travels back to this morning. How he found his hyung and tucked him into bed. He wonders if Chan got enough sleep and ate the food he made or not. Chan hadn’t replied to his message which was fine it wasn’t like he had to reply. He just hoped his hyung wasn’t stuck in the freezer or something else ridiculous.

Once his shower was finished Hyunjin continued his nightly routine. By then his stomach had already given up on him. He shuffled over to the kitchen only to once again find Chan.

This time though Chan is awake. Hyunjin stares at his hyung who has gotten himself a drink. Chan was dressed in lounge wear—just a pair of shorts and tank top. From where Hyunjin stood he could see the subtle ripple of shoulder muscle as he closed the fridge. Chan turns and faces Hyunjin—there’s a twitch at the corner of his hyung’s mouth that he barely catches.

“Hello, Hyunjin. Just got home?” Chan asks with a smile and Hyunjin nods numbly—his mind still reeling from the fact that he’d blantly checked out his hyung in the kitchen. Though Chan’s smile is all he needs to ease back into the familiar.

“Good to see you’re not sleeping in the fridge hyung.” Hyunjin says with a teasing grin he shuffles over to the counter where he glances at the spot he’d left the bowl. It’s no longer there but in the dry rack. Chan shuffles towards him and begins to sputter in a mix of Korean and English.

“Wait—What are you—Please don’t tell me you—”

“Found you nearly face first in it bright and early today? Yes. I only regret not taking a picture of it for the group chat.” Hyunjin mutters with a not so subtle smirk because he loves to tease his hyung.

“Ah—thanks for not doing that I guess—and I’m gonna assume you’re the reason I made it to a bed?” Chan rubs at the back of his neck with sheepish smile and Hyunjin glances over his ears that just little pink. That makes him grin to himself.

_He’s so cute and he doesn’t even know it._

Hyunjin purses his lips with a hum—he likes to make Chan squirm just a tiny bit.

“Made it to bed? Made to my bed.” Hyunjin laughs and Chan rolls his eyes but there’s a grin pulling at those full lips. Hyunjin leans back against the sink and eyes his hyung who still red around the ears—he can’t get enough of it.

“You could’ve put me in my own bed you know or the couch.”

“Maybe. Did you find a bowl of fried rice here with your name on it?”

Chan smiles—a smile that blooms over his face and Hyunjin knows that there is no other smile like it. Chan says his smile has been influenced by the members but there is a smile that is all his own and it’s so pretty. Hyunjin’s empty stomach does a careless flip.

“Maybe. Maybe that’s why I ordered chicken when you got home.” Chan attempts to tease him back but all Hyunjin heard were the words “I ordered chicken” that’s enough to make him leap forward into Chan. Though Hyunjin is much taller than Chan he knows his hyung can take a tackling hug.

“You’re the best hyung!”

Chan laughs softly the sound heals something in him that he hadn’t known needed mending. Hyunjin jumps in place while he hugs Chan all while Chan pats him on the back.

“Right. It’s just a thanks for taking care of me this morning. Sorry, I was trouble Hyunjin.”

Hyunjin stops cheering and looks at his hyung who gives a smile meant to be warm and sheepish but comes off strained. As if he’s uncomfortable acknowledging that he needed Hyunjin help.

A wrenching feeling pinches tightly at the pit of his guts. It weighs his chest down with rocks. It makes everything hurt.

_Why can’t you just let me help you?_

Hyunjin stands there as he holds Chan and looks down at him before say;

“You weren’t trouble. Besides you’d do it if it were me or any other member. You have done it for me and other members. It’s no trouble—we care of each other right hyung?” Hyunjin doesn’t leave an inch of room to argue—though Chan’s lips are parted and ready the argument deflates with a heavy sigh. His smiles soften up to something more genuine.

Now, there’s a flutter in Hyunjin’s once empty stomach.

“You’re right. Hyunjin when did you grow up so well?” Chan chuckles as he reaches for Hyunjin’s damp hair giving it a gentle ruffle. He moves past him and says something about getting the food.

The touch leaves him frozen in place as he watches his hyung go down to get the food. It’s warmth fades and he feels his chest clench tight—this is the way its suppose to be he reminds himself after he forces his feet to move to the table.

_It’s supposed to be like this._

_You’re just helping him out when he needs it._

_Nothing else._

_But._

There are butterflies in Hyunjin’s stomach, and they all beat their wings to sound of Chan’s heart. 

**Author's Note:**

> when i said slow burn i meant it.


End file.
